New curriculum slammed by studies board

Anna Patty

The Board of Studies has for the first time unleashed its criticism of the draft national curriculum in a scathing review which warns that it is vastly inferior to the existing NSW curriculum.

The criticism threatens to delay the implementation of the Australian curriculum as scheduled in schools from next year.

In its response to the draft kindergarten to year 10 curriculum for English, history, maths and science, the NSW Board of Studies says it lacks an overarching framework and is overcrowded with content.

The board says the Australian curriculum diminishes the teaching of literature and the maths curriculum fails to cater for the full range of students.

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The English curriculum structure is described as ''artificial and does not enable teachers to integrate all the dimensions of English effectively".

The board said the draft national science curriculum is poorly structured and fails to develop understanding of core science concepts and skills.

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The year 10 science curriculum is said to be too difficult for the vast majority of students.

The draft history curriculum is described as ''far too ambitious to be taught effectively''.

''It is not possible for all students to reach high standards in deeper understandings and skills development with the current content overload,'' the board said. ''There is no scope for differentiation of curriculum to cater for the full range of student ability.''

The board says that excessive history content will impinge on the time needed to develop and practice foundational skills. It says there is an overlap of content in years 5 to 6 and years 9 to 10.

''The curriculum is not feasible as there is too much content for the time available, particularly in years 4 to 10,'' it says.

NSW teacher associations representing English, science, maths and history have made similar complaints.

The Herald understands the state government and the Board of Studies were restricted from making any negative comments about the national curriculum before the federal election. The board's long-awaited response to the draft curriculum was quietly posted on its website recently.

The national curriculum was one of the key platforms under the watch of the Prime Minister, Julia Gillard, in her previous role as education minister.

Jenny Allum, the head of SCEGGS Darlinghurst who previously worked for the Board of Studies, welcomed its response to the curriculum draft.

''I think the Board of Studies has done an excellent job in analysing the curriculum, giving an overall evaluation of it and identifying some significant specific weaknesses,'' she said.

''My fear has always been that, in trying to write a curriculum to which all states can agree, [the Australian Curriculum, Assessment and Reporting Authority] will be forced to offer something which is of lesser quality than currently exists in NSW. And, unfortunately, that is exactly what has happened.

''We should be proud of what we have here in NSW and not accept anything of lesser quality.''

A spokesman for the authority said that it has responded to the NSW Board of Studies. ''ACARA will report on the findings of this process in a consultation report which will be released in due course,'' he said.

A spokeswoman for the NSW Board of Studies said its response attempts to identify areas that need to be addressed before the Australian curriculum can be implemented.